Culinary Arts Degree Programs
Learn Various Culinary Arts Degree Programs
It is helpful to have a general idea of the area or specialty you are most interested in when trying to choose a culinary arts degree program. This will help you narrow down the type of education you need in order to reach your goals. Keep in mind that there are three basic types of culinary arts degree program options to choose from: Associate degree programs, Bachelor degree programs, and Diploma or Certificate programs.
An Associate degree culinary arts program takes about two years to finish and this type of program is one of the most popular educational options for the culinary arts profession. It’s a particularly good option if you are not sure which area of the field you would like to specialize in.
The courses in a culinary arts degree program typically involve basics such as knife skills, nutrition, kitchen procedure, and presentation. Some may offer more advanced courses, such as baking and pastry, international cuisine, and dining room operations.
Some opportunities available for someone with an Associate culinary arts degree include working at restaurants, hotels, private clubs, catering companies, or institutions. Most common jobs are in food preparation, shift supervision, and kitchen management. The culinary arts degree program that gives you an Associate degree can also be a stepping-stone for continuing on to a four-year Bachelor program.
A Bachelor level culinary arts degree program tends to focus more on management level training. This type of program combines liberal arts, business and administration, hospitality management, and culinary arts courses. Some schools even require a minor in business management. The purpose of the Bachelor culinary arts degree program is to prepare students for leadership positions within the hospitality and fine foods industry. The most common degree offerings are in food and beverage management, baking, and pastry arts management, hospitality management, culinary management, and hotel, restaurant and institutional management.
In addition to Associate and Bachelor culinary arts degree program, there are also Diploma and Certificate programs. These programs are offered by culinary schools, community colleges, technical/trade schools, and even some four-year colleges and universities. These culinary arts degree program courses typically take 8-10 weeks to complete, and can be good for students who want to get a basic education for entry-level work, or who already have a higher degree, but want some specialized training (such as pastry arts). Some of the most common Diploma and Certificate culinary arts degree program options include: professional cooking, baking and pastry arts, culinary arts, and restaurant management.
So, as you can see, there are various ways to get training. Depending on which program you choose, that will determine your pay level, and level of expertise, as well as how successful you will be in landing a job in the culinary field.
